How Many Learning Objectives?

How many learning objectives should we try to teach at one time?

Three is plenty--especially if you are trying to teach three things during one activity. One is enough but don't even try to remember more than three. Even then, you may want to write a list of the three you have chosen because you might forget. You can choose from the learning objective listed on this site but you can also choose a more specific learning objective and try to write down at least one activity that will help you teach this skill.

• labeling a feeling like happy or sad-during a Drawing Faces Game

• talking to a classmate-during snack time

• saying NO instead of running away-during math group

• saying HI to the art teacher-at the beginning of art class

• playing with a new toy-during a play session with mom

• listening to a bedtime story-during bedtime routine

• staying at the dinner table for five minutes longer-at dinner time

• telling you something that happened at school-in the car on the way home

• talking to grandma on the computer-on Sunday during family Zoom

• picking a new book at the library-on Friday during library time

• feeding the cat-before school

• choosing a park to play at-on Saturday

You will naturally teach more than this number of things in a day because more learning naturally occurs in every activity you do together. But have just a few learning objectives at the top of your mind. Just three.

When your child has mastered these, choose three more.